Campylobacter infections on the rise

Health and food safety experts in New Zealand say they are at a loss
to explain a big rise in the number of cases of the food poisoning bug,
campylobacter.

Campylobacter , one of the most common causes of food
poisoning, is more commonly found in rural parts of the country, but is now
affecting larger numbers of city residents.

Food Safety Authority
(FSA) principal public health advisor, Donald Campbell, says that in recent
months cases have jumped from an average 200 a week to 250 for no apparent
reason.

Scientists, food safety experts and health professionals are
using computer modelling to find ways to stop the number of cases
increasing.

There are fresh calls for consumers to handle chicken
properly after the Food Safety Authority reported recently that more than 90% of
raw chicken in New Zealand could be contaminated with
campylobacter.

On average, New Zealand consumes about 36 kilograms of
chicken per person every year.